Expanded Wonthaggi kinder opened by Minister Stitt

THE Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt is visiting the Drysdale Street Kindergarten at Wonthaggi today, Thursday, July 27, with Bass MP Jordan Crugnale, to officially open a new kindergarten room and other maternal and child health facilities.

The State Government, according to Minister Stitt, is delivering more kinder places for the growing Wonthaggi community, with new and expanded kinders opening across the region.

“We are building and expanding kindergartens across the state to make it easier for families to access these important services,” said Ms Stitt.

“Our nation-leading early childhood reforms are giving every Victorian child the best start in life, while putting more money into the pockets of hard-working families and encouraging new parents back into the workforce.”

The Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale welcomed the expansion in local kinder services.

“Wonthaggi families now have more options for kinder and early learning, with quick and easy access to a great local primary school right next door.”

Ms Stitt said the expanded kinder. Co-located with the Wonthaggi Primary School would bring essential services for families together under one roof.

The new kindergarten room creates 33 extra places for Three and Four-Year-Old Kinder, with new outdoor learning space giving children more room to learn through play, and new parking facilities making drop-off and pick-up times easier for parents.

Delivered in partnership with Bass Coast Shire Council, the expansion was built off-site using modular construction – minimising disruption to the local school and community and bringing the new kinder space to life more quickly.

The Drysdale Street Kindergarten expansion is one of more than 31 kindergartens on or near school sites delivered since 2021, helping children across the state make a smoother transition to primary school and helping more parents ditch the dreaded double drop-off.

An extra 10 kindergartens on or near school sites will be delivered in 2024 – giving even more children and their families access to early learning centres for the best start in life.

During the week, Minister Stitt also announced funding for kinders in South Gippsland, at Newhaven College and at San Remo as recipients of State Government funding in a new round development funding.

Ms Stitt said the funding was part of an initiative by the State Government to bring 19 more kinders to life in growing areas of Victoria.

She said 15 local councils and kindergarten service providers will share in $2.5 million of Building Blocks Planning grants of up to $150,000 each for planning, design and pre-construction work on kindergarten building projects.

See related articles: https://www.sgst.com.au/news/san-remo-newhaven-college-and-south-gippsland-kinder-projects-funded